Fireman&#39;s helmet.



IIVVE/VTOI? WILZZL'J C. Vqjem Patented Mar. l3, I900.

W. G. VAJEN.

' FIBEMANS HELMET.

(Applxcatlon filed. Mar 14 1898 I (No Model.)

WITNESSES.

\VILLIS O: VAJEN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FIREMANS HELM ET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,408, dated March13, 1900.

Application filed March 14, 189B.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIs C. VAJEN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county ofMarion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Eyepieces for Head- Shields, of which the following is aspecification.

My presentinvention consists in certain improvements relating to theeyepieces of the device or apparatus forming the subject-matter of myapplication, Serial No. 602,010, for Firemens helmets, filed August '7,1896. The eyepiece, generally speaking, is of substantially the sameconstruction as that shown and described in said applicatiombut involvescertain improvements mainly relating to a revolving cleaner and themeans of mounting and applying the same, by means of which the innersurface of the transparent plates may be cleaned by the wearer withoutremoving it from his head.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof andon which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate similarparts, Figure 1 is a perspective View of an apparatus for shielding orprotecting the heads of firemen and others againstsmoke and otherdeleterious gases and vapors, generally known by the appellation offiremens sm'oke-protectors; Fig. 2, a plan View, full size, of aneyepiece to such a protector; Fig. 3, a sectional view through the sameas seen when looking in the direc tion indicated by the arrows from thedotted line 3 3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detail sectional view through thecleaner-shaft and immediately-adjacent parts, on an exaggerated scale,as seen from the dotted line 4 1 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5, a detailsectional view across one arm of the revolving cleaner.

I will confine this description mainly to those features of the eyepiecewhich form the subjectmatter of the present application, other features(so far as described at all) being described merely incidentally.

The eyepiece as a whole consists of an annular base or ring 1, which issecured by numerous rivets Ct to the body A of the shield or helmet andthe outwardly-extending annular portion of which is screw-threaded uponthe outside; an annular ring 2, the interior surface of which iscorrespondingly screwthreaded and which has a flange, between which anda corresponding flange on the part 1 the transparent materialand thewashers bearing thereon are secured; preferably two transparent plates 3and 4, having an annular washer 5 between them, preferably of leather,and corresponding washers 6 and '7 resting upon their outer surfaces,between them and the flanges of the rings 1 and 2, and guard-wires 8 and9, preferably crossing each other at right angles, which serve toprotect the transparent plates 3 and at.

' Those surfaces of the flanges of the parts 1 and 2 which bear againstthe washers 6 and 7 are shown as projecting somewhat from their generallevel, so that said contact-surfaces are narrower than the width of theflanges. This is of considerable importance in forming a tight joint, asthese comparatively-narrow edges will sink into the washers 6 and 7 tosome extent, thus precluding the possibility of any passage of gases atthis point.

These eyepieces are provided with rotary cleaners, by which the weareris enabled to keep the inner side of the transparent plate free fromanything which might obstruct the vision. This cleaner is constructedand arranged as follows: Oentrally located and ex.- tending throughsuitable perforations in the transparent plates 3 and 4 is a small shaft10, having a thumb knob or wheel upon the outer end and with its innerend preferably slitted and carryinga transverse bar 11,which bar has afacing 12 of some soft material, which extends in from said bar andbears against the interior surface of the inner transparent plate 3.Between the plates 3 and 4 I place a washer 13, preferably of leather,and on the outside of said plates 3 and 4 I place washers 14: and 15,preferably of felt or some similar soft elastic material. Interposedbetween the bar 11 and the felt washer 14: is preferably a smallmetallic washer 16. On the inner end of the shaft 10, which isscrew-threaded, is a suitable nut 17, which engages with said end andwhich bears against the edge of the bar 11 and forces it down to thebottom of the slit in the shaft 10 and against the washer 16, thusholding the several parts together. Below the thumb-knob k is a flangef, which bears against the outer side of the felt washer 15. The feltwashers 14 and 15 are yielding enough to permit the shaft to be easilyrevolved, while they are firm enough to, in connection with the leatherwasher 13, hold it in place with suflicient firmness. In operation thewearer of the headshield or helmet revolves this shaft bygrasping thethumb-knob 71; and revolving it by means of his thumb and finger, whichpasses the soft materia1-12, carried by the bar 11, rapidly over theinner surface of the transparent plate 3, thus freeing it of any dirt ormoisture which might gather thereon. Passage of any gases around thecleaner-shaft is prevented by the washers 14 and 15, which fit closelyaround said cleaner-shaft, and at the same time by means of theirelasticity permit the easy revolution of said shaft.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in an eyepiece for a head-shield or helmet, of asuitable framework, stationary transparent plates mounted therein, ashaft mounted to revolve in a central perforation in said plates, awiper carried on the inner end of said shaft and bearing across theinnersurface of the inner plate, whereby by revolving said shaft saidwiper is carried around to wipe said surface, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination, in an eyepiece for a head-shield or helmet, of asuitable frame, a

transparent plate carried by said frame and having a central perforationtherein, a shaft mounted in said perforation having a suitable fiangeupon one side and a nut upon the other, a bar carried by'the inner endof said shaft faced with soft material which comes in shi'elds orhelmets, of the base or ring 1 secured to the body thereof, the ring 2provided with the grating-bars 8 and 9 and secured to the ring l, theinterposed transparent plates 3 and 4, the washers 5, 6 and 7, therevolving shaft 10, the bar 11 faced with a soft material 12 and carriedby said shaft, the washer l3 interposed between said plates 3 and 4, andthe washers 14 and 15 mounted on said shaft outside said plates and incontact therewith. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand andseal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 5th day of January, A. D. 1898.

WILLIS C. VAJ EN.

